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Chapter 4: New Developments

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Abby continued to stare at Connor. He was beginning to feel very awkward. He gulped, prepared to defend himself if she answered in the negative.

"Are you sure?" she asked after an uncomfortable pause. Connor nodded. He couldn't believe he had just asked her to share his bed. She stood up, walked over to the bed, and slid in next to him, ensuring there was at least a foot of space between them.

"There," he said, "I'm sure you'll be much more comfortable now." More comfortable but less able to sleep, he thought to himself. Abby, who had been settling in to her new position looked at him in shock. She had heard what he just thought.

"What?" he asked, seeing her stare at him. Abby paused a moment.

"Nothing," she answered, deciding to keep this little bit of information to herself. The two lay there, facing each other, neither wanting to close their eyes first. After an uncomfortable few minutes, Connor spoke up.

"I had a really great time tonight," he said. "I'm really glad you decided to invite me along. And I'm glad you talked me into coming." Abby smiled.

"I'm glad you came. I would've been lonely without you. And... and I'm sorry that I ever made you feel unwelcome or uncomfortable."

"You are the last person to make me feel unwelcome," he replied, reaching out to hold her hand. "And, most of the time, I'm most comfortable around you. I feel like my soul is at rest when we are together. It feels natural." Abby blushed and smiled shyly, running her thumb along the palm of his hand. Connor stared at her, feeling her skin against his hand and using every fiber of his being to control the urge to pull her to him right there. He felt like two things were battling inside him and he was afraid that, at this rate, he would lose the battle.

"So...." Abby said.

"Yeah?" Connor asked in reply, glad for the distraction from his ever-growing desire.

"Well," she began awkwardly, "I know we said we'd discuss 'us' when we got back, but, since we're here now, I was just wondering where exactly we stood." Connor sighed a breath of relief mingled with happiness. There was no doubt in his mind that he wanted her and she had just reveled, in her own special way, that she felt the same. He moved closer to her, until there were just a few inches separating their bodies.

"We are... wherever you want us to be," he said with conviction. "I don't want to scare you or drive you away, but I'm completely certain of my feelings for you. There is no doubt in my mind that I want to be with you. You are the most beautiful, amazing, wonderful person I have ever known. I want you so much, Abby." Abby, touched moved even closer to him, until her breasts were touching his chest and their faces were only inches apart.

"I wasn't going to say this," she said. "And I wasn't going to do this. I just didn't want to get involved, not with you or with anyone." Connor's smile disappeared as he heard this, thinking he had read her emotions wrong.

"But," she continued, "I don't have control over it. I tried to control it, but it's like a whole other part of me, as if something in me is drawn to you and I couldn't prevent it even if I tried. The funny thing is, as much as I thought I would, I don't want to try. I want you too... you mean so much to me." With that she leaned in to kiss him, and she most definitely did not pull away.

As they kissed Connor pulled Abby against his body, rolling on his back to allow her to lie on top of him. She complied and stretched out over his body, pressing hard against him as their kisses deepened. She could feel every muscle in his body straining, pulsing, and begging for her touch. His hands explored her body, wanting to know every inch of her.

"I can't stop myself, Abby," he groaned, pressing her harder against him. She slowly pulled away, until she was sitting astride him, feeling his desire against her. She looked into his eyes and both saw and felt how much he loved her. And she knew then that she loved him too. She had known it from the day she met him, maybe even before then, but this was the first time she had felt it.

"I don't want you to," she said honestly, pulling the shirt she wore off. Connor swore his heart stop when she did this.

"Are you sure?" he asked, his hands traveling up and down her sides wanting to go farther but not wanting to push her.

"Absolutely," she answered, laying back on him and resuming their kiss, allowing him to roll on top of her. He felt parts of her body he hadn't before and his desire to keep going increased. Trying to fight the urge to continue, he slowed his pace, forcing himself to withdraw his hands.

"Connor," she moaned throatily, causing his former resistance to collapse. "Don't stop," she begged. "Don't stop at all." And he didn't. Kisses became more passionate, hands went further, more clothing was discarded, and the new couple made love.

Unbeknownst to the two, as their bodies joined a glow, coming from them, filled the room. It became only stronger as they continued, and, eventually, escaped the confines of the room and found its way into the sky. Around the world, there were only a few who could see it.

~*~

A few miles away from the hotel where Abby and Connor lie, Max Evans was suddenly awoken by a strange feeling. Something pulled him out of the bed he shared with his wife and towards the window. There, he saw a beam of strong light in the distance. The light did not look like the artificial light of the city, but was stronger and seemed to have a purpose. Staring at the column of light, he noted that it extended straight up into the sky, straight towards the constellation where his home lie.

Turning away from the window he shook his wife awake and lead her to see it.

"Max, I don't see anything," Liz said, sleepy and confused. "Where is it, because I must be missing it."

"I don't see how you could miss it, Liz," he answered in awe. "It's filling the whole sky and glowing so brightly. And look, it leads right up to the V-constellation, almost as if that is its destination." Liz stared hard, but still saw nothing. Suddenly the couple was removed from their respective searches by the phone. Liz ran over and picked it up.

"Hey, Michael... no, we were both awake.... Yeah, Max sees it too.... No, I don't." She walked over to her husband and handed him the phone. "He wants to talk to you."

"Maxwell," Michael said when Max answered the phone, "what the heck is going on?"

"I don't know, Michael," Max answered truthfully. "Do you see it too?"

"See it?" Michael shouted. "Of course I see it. How could I not?! It's filling the whole sky." Another voice on the line interrupted, as Max heard Maria tell Michael that she did not see it. "What the heck is going on, Maxwell?" Michael repeated.

"I'm not sure, but I think this is a sign meant only for us," Max answered. "I wonder if Isabel...." In answer to his question he heard a beep, indicating there was another call. "Hold on, Michael, I think Isabel is calling me." Max clicked over and Isabel was frantic.

"Oh God, Max, please tell me you see it," she said before he could even greet her.

"Yeah, I do," he replied, "and Michael too." She breathed a sigh of relief on the other end.

"Thank God, I thought I had gone insane. Here I was staring at this beam of light and Kyle couldn't see it and I didn't know what to think."

"Michael and I think it might be a sign or a signal meant only for us. We need to find Ava and see if she saw anything."

"Good," Isabel agreed. "Why don't the three of us meet at your place tomorrow and see if we can figure out what this is and see if we can contact Ava, ok?"

"That sounds good to me," Max replied. "I'll let Michael know. Goodnight, Iz."

"Goodnight, Max," she said before hanging up. Max clicked back over to Michael.

"Michael, Isabel saw it too, but Kyle didn't."

"I think your theory is pretty well grounded then," Michael replied.

"Yeah," Max said. "Isabel thinks we should meet tomorrow afternoon at my house and see if we can figure this out. She also thinks we need to find a way to contact Ava."

"If she saw what we saw, I'm betting she'll be contacting us very soon," Michael replied.

"That's a thought," Max said. "I'll see you tomorrow, ok?" Michael answered in the affirmative before ending their conversation. Each of the three aliens went back to bed, staring in the sky until the light disappeared.

~*~

After their experience, Abby and Connor lay in bed together, curled in one another's arms. Connor stroked Abby's hair and Abby, avoiding eye contact, played with the hem of the shirt she had recently thrown on.

"That was great, you know," he said after a long, awkward pause. Abby nodded.

"Yeah," she replied, in a daze. Connor looked at her with concern.

"Does it hurt at all?" he asked.

"Some," she replied, "but it's not so bad anymore." Connor placed his hand on her lower abdomen and used his energy to heal her pain.

"You should have said something sooner," he said, burying his face in her hair and increasing his hold on her body. After a few moments he continued, "Do you regret it?" Abby turned to face him.

"No," she answered honestly. "Not in the least." He smiled at her and folded her back into his arms, where they both quickly fell asleep.

~*~

Across universe, on another planet in another galaxy, a young man rushed into an office.

"Your eminence," he gasped, but was stopped by the wave of a hand before he could continue.

"I saw it," was all the man with his back to him said.

"King Larek, is it true then?" the young man asked. "Have the High King and Queen been found?" Larek turned and faced the young man.

"You saw the beacon," he replied. "You do not need an answer to that question. If the legend is true, the High King and Queen have indeed found one another, and we will now be able to find them."